The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-08-17
THE STOLEN LETTERS.


sumo Il roGsed me from my stupor, OF
whatever my previous state might have
been; then heard my brOther-in-law
say
Shut those windows, please there's
drauyht enough % Kill dozen well peo-
pie And Kitty. have one Of the heservants
bring that little air-tight stove down from
the track-room. and see that there i, a
gentle fire kept up here at least until mid
day tomorrow | viii be back in few
moments
bad been trying to open my lips to
say something, to ass Why was living in
my bed al this hour Of the day, or to r.-
quest my sister Kitty to put another
blanket on the bed but could not Ut
ter word. While / was wondering what
allied me and way felt 50 queer, one Of
the servants, who had entered with the
little stove, sand TO her companion
sure an the masther's that quare
Niver before did hear of any one want
ing to kape dead man warrum begurra
some o thin gets warrum enough where
they've gone, but not the likes o. Masther
Fred
Why has Nora such sound Of tears IN
her voice?
An why, wonder, didn't some o
thin miserable spalpeens round in the
back street git runned over an kilt, in
stead o. him, Nora continued 1t viii
aOout kin his sister
A cold chill came over me; who were
they talking about? sure no one could
believe that WAS dead A score of weird
tales which had read came rushing into
my mind--how people had been buried
alive how dear ones had permitted nus
band, brother, father. even mother OF
even child, to be neglected as past hope
and how, after infinite suffering, the sup
posed corpse has struggled free from the
coffin and winsing sheet and come home
again and thought, too. Of the many
who have never been able to free Them
selves, and would have shuddered if
could have moved muscle or even al
eyelash but was As immovable a. any
corpse.
In what seemed a century again heard
my sisters voice. Considering that her
only brother was supposed to be dead
before her eyes, l thought she seemed
very blithe.
oh, Otto" she said 10 her husband.
then do YOU think that Fred is really
dead ."
No more dead than am, nay dear; he
had evidently received severe blow on
the head which rendered him senseless
and has thrown hinl into a sort of trance
or csltaleptic state have Just been TO
see Dr. Burke, and he SAYS it is very prob
able, anyway, Kitty, and insist that the
room be kept warm- quiet and eonlforta-
bic if alive he Is weak and this plas;e.
when l c tme into II, WIS cold enough to
have frozen any invalid and then, on
the other hand. if he l. not alive II viii
do no harm to have the temperature
little high, tor any sign of decay viii set
tie his condition beyond a doubt-and
until | am quite positive he IL dead |
viii give him the benefit of a dOubG'
had always liked and respected my
grave brother-in-law /; now | loved him.
How I blessed him for his words That
he was mule for obstinaey-no, never
again would | call him obstinate, but
firm
l certainly was weak, for either doz-
Ell now or bad a faint turn, for the next
thing knew the room was warm, a -off
scarlet shawl was spread over my feet, as
I could see through my half-ciosed eyes,
the curtains were drawn down, and the
house was delightfully."- still My sister
seemed to have been persuading her hus-
band into giving grudging consent 70
something, for he was saying Well, .
have your own Way, Kitty can't pre-
tend 70 fathom the minds Of you women,
and you may be right /: do not like the (
girl myself, and | think our Fred is
thrown away on her But then, YOU see
there never was but one woman in the /
world To me-"
You are the best man in the universe, f
otto, l hope you are right, and that our I
lear Fred can hear what We say, an
swere,d my sister. kissing me very ten
DERBY.
- If he can, answered otto, laying his
firn cool hand on my forehead. "he
knows that he Is t. be cared for, and
that No harm shall come 10 him il Otto
Kramer can defend him
Alas NV tear-,iucfst5o were parsllyze,i
and the tears Which [ ieit rise in them
could 20 no further
Kitty now spread a large white quilt
over me. letting il hang straight and
smooth, and then she and Otto left the
roosn. had faith in them. and again
allowed myself to lapse into a state of un-
fruns which I WIS aroused
by voice which knew right weit-the
voice Of Feroline Palmer, nay betrothed
she WAS saving, calmly
Il will be glad, Mrs. Kramer if YOU
will leave me quite alone with--with
Fred for = few moments give me just
ave minutes know you have never
liked me, but surely you viii not refuse
the last request l viii ever make Of YOU
What could she mean? Could Kitty
have been 80 hs=slrtless as not 10 tell her
that Otto knew ! was still alive Kitty
and she were not good friends, for my
sister showed plainly that she did not
think Lima whom she always spoke ofby
her inll name. Fereiinei half good enough
for me bat was Of different opinion
In my eyes Lima was not cold, but only
full Of pure, maidenly reficence that she
WIS AT sn mercenary Was, 10 me, disprov-
ed by the fact that Harold Carter, the
matrimonial prize of our town. had not
been abe to win her from me, though /